 |
 |
Botulinum Toxin A Injection Relieves Drooling In Patients With Parkinson's Disease January 13, 2000 03:33 PM PST WESTPORT, Jan 13 (Reuters Health) - Intraparotid injections of botulinum toxin A can substantially reduce salivary secretions and drooling in patients with Parkinson's disease, findings published in the January issue of Neurology show. "[B]otulinum toxin A promises to be a simple and effective treatment for the common problem of drooling saliva in chronic neurologic disease," Dr. J. K. C. Tsui, of Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre in British Columbia, Canada, and colleagues say in the report. The team conducted a two-phase study designed to assess the effects of intraparotid botulinum toxin A injections on drooling in nine patients with Parkinson's disease.Seven patients were injected with 7.5 mouse units and were monitored for 8 weeks.At the end of that period, they and two additional patients were injected with a higher dose of the drug, 15 units, and were monitored for an additional 8 weeks. The vast majority of patients, 88.9%, "...had objective reductions in salivary secretion," Dr. Tsui and colleagues write.Two thirds of the patients demonstrated subjective reductions in drooling.The two doses used appeared to be equally effective and were without adverse effects. The investigators note that the mean reduction in saliva secretion was 35% at the end of the study.They suspect that this percentage actually underestimates the true effects of the injections, since treatment effects in partial responders were already beginning to decline by the time of the final examination.A double-blind study of the intervention is under way. Neurology 2000;54:244-247. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Bob Martone [log in to unmask] http://www.kingwoodcable.com/martone/